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Boys soccer: Toreadors capture Boone Invitational title

Boone senior Nick Walker works past Clear Lake defenders during Saturdayâs Boone Invitational. The Toreadors held on for a 1-0 win over the Lions in the opening round and topped Iowa Falls-Alden 1-0 in the championship game. Boone goes on the road today against Bondurant-Farrar.

By Matt Oliver, Sports Editor

BOONE – Two-hard fought victories lifted the Boone boys soccer team to its first ever Boone Invitational championship on Saturday. “To take that next step over the top, it was nice to get it done,” Boone coach Andy Commins said.

The Toreadors (4-4) have fielded a soccer program for seven years, hosting a home tournament for the past three seasons.

Last year, Boone was without several starters due to Ogden’s senior trip and nine freshmen were in the lineup, but the team still battled to second.

“We’re close every year,” Commins said.

The Toreadors made it happen this time. They began their title quest with a 1-0 win over Clear Lake (3-1).

Sophomore Jared Dow drilled a goal from 20 yards out with 21 minutes, 27 seconds remaining in the first half.

Philip Commins denied the Lions as the sophomore goalkeeper recorded 14 saves in the first-round victory.

Clear Lake missed opportunities, coming up empty on one corner kick after another. Senior Nick Walker answered the call for Boone, winning with headers nearly every time the Lions had a shot.

“Nick’s really aggressive,” Commins said. “We’re lucky to have him. That’s kind of his job is to win those on offensive and defensive corner kicks. He’s gotten really, really good at it this year.”

Dow scored the only goal in the championship game as the Toreadors held on for a 1-0 win over Iowa Falls-Alden (2-3).

Commins said more offense would put games out of reach. However, a win is a win and Boone proved its learning how to grind out victories.

“The flipside is that we’re learning how to hold onto wins, which was something in the past that we struggled with,” Commins said. “Once we got in top or we’re in tight games, we’d be the one that kind of blinked and made the mistake. We haven’t been doing that. It’s been falling our way.”

The win over the Cadets was the third straight shutout for Philip Commins.

“Philip’s really stepped up his game,” Commins said. “Defensively, I’ve been really proud of the way we’ve been playing.”

Following an 8-1 loss at Newton (3-2) on April 12, the Toreadors shifted senior Brandan Appenzeller’s position. Ever since, the team’s defense has been clicking.

“Bringing Brandan back to the middle of the defense with Nick (Walker) has really been one of the big keys in locking down the defense,” Commins said. “It puts a little bit more speed on the back line.”

“They’ve played some of the same competition, so I’d expect it’s going to be another hard-fought game,” Commins said. “I think this is going to be a season for us where we should be competitive in every game, but I don’t think there’s a clear one on our schedule where we can say, ‘That’s a game we ought to win.’”